While we have threads dedicated to DBMA's "Kali Tudo" approach to MMA, it occurs to me that we do not have a thread simply dedicated to MMA-- so now we do.

I'll kick things off with some brief comments on last nights UFC:

It was the worst UFC I have ever seen.

Frank Mir looked like an ex-steroid user and was winded halfway into the first round.

Tito came in ready to rock, but rumors credible to me had Ken Shamroid not having trained seriously at all. To my eye, KS charged and was saved by the ref from the shame of being badly KO'd. That UFC people would be putting out feelers for another fight between these two is a warning flag as to what this one was.

AA vs. TS: What a boring disappointment. I have liked AA as a fighter a lot-- even though my six year old son thinks that he might be able to beat me -- but this was a very poor performance.

AA started well with leg kicks-- which is exactly the strategy I called for him. Then, for no apparent reason, he stopped kicking and only boxed. WTF? Perhaps intimidated by TS's surprise spinning back kick, he stopped moving to the right and stayed in front of TS, and TS even used a long teep to kick him out at the end of his much longer reach. AA's mobility while striking is very good and TS's is not-- leg kicks were the obvious solution-- but due to an apparent complete dearth of guidance from AA's corner this was not brought to his attention. In contrast, it would appear that TS was well-prepped by his team (Matt Hughes, Rich Franklin and others)

Not a good fight in the night-- the snippet from Munson's fight they showed was the best moment in the night-- more nights like this from the UFC and they will be in trouble. The Silva v Liddell fight could be really good though , , ,

Tito came in ready to rock, but rumors credible to me had Ken Shamroid not having trained seriously at all. To my eye, KS charged and was saved by the ref from the shame of being badly KO'd. That UFC people would be putting out feelers for another fight between these two is a warning flag as to what this one was.

I am looking at this as a best case situation for the two of them. Tito gets the joy of knowing he won while Ken doesn't think the stop was justified. I can't think of a better way of this fight going.

Woof, I agree this was the worst UFC card I've seen in awhile. I was disappointed to have bought it.I was sorry the Ortiz /Shamrock fight didn't last longer, though I think Herb Dean made the right call in stopping the fight.Had it been any other bout no one would have said boo about that call. during the fight and from the angle we saw the elbows come down it looked to me like Shamrock was knocked out......just the same he was not defending himself.The TS VS. A.A. fight was a total bore fest, I agree also that for A.A. the leg kick was the ticket and why he stopped it I will never know. Neither did he fight like a man who wanted to win, esp when it came to the last round.Silvia did enough to win.....thats about it. My opinion here is with the small gloves and the size of these guys no way should this fight have gone to a decision.......bottom line neither fighter wanted to committ to stepping into and delivering a good hard shot......A boring sparring match was the end result.I have been hoping for the Lidell vs. silva fight for some time. A very intresting match up to say the least.I don't think they come any tougher than Silva. TG

LOL...I totally forgot that it was this past weekend....after hearing these reviews and reviews from some buds perhaps I didn't miss much at all and I dang sure saved the PPV cash. Silva vs. Chuck.....hmmmm...I'd say it is a toss up but I will go with Silva he seems to me to be a bit more complete but then again one hammer by Lidell and it is NAP time for Silva. Is there an ETA on that PPV?

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Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and rightdoing, there is a field. I will meet you there.

i really liked the stevenson/yves edwards fight. i thought they were being really tough on joe stevenson putting him against edwards for his 1st fight @155. edwards IS a world class lightweight and a legit contender for any organization's title. that was nasty cut stevenson gave edwards- edwards was lucky it was on the top of his head, at least giving him a chance to continue.

it's too bad that ortiz/shamrock fight was stopped fast. i think it was certain that ortiz was well on his way to an easy win over ken s. i just think with that fast stoppage we will now see a ortiz/shamrock III and the continued WWE/childish rivalry that occurs.

arlovski/tim s. was maybe the biggest let down of a fight i've ever seen. as all have said why did he stop with the leg kicks?!?! doesn't he know how to throw a right straight down the middle? does arlovski only know how to throw an overhand right? on top of that he was throwing an overhand right while moving backwards. i totally agree with guro marc and his questioning about arlovski's corner. one comment i heard them say was, '' andrei, fight your fight.'' what does that mean?!? that guy may be a rickson gracie brown belt and arlovki's bjj teacher, but he is no coach/cornerman. look at sylvia- he was the one throwing legs kicks, even did a spinning back kick, and almost caught arlovski with a high knee to counter one of andrei's MANY right hands. and his corner was giving him CONCRETE coaching about movement, looking for a counter,etc. AHHHHHHHHHHHH!!! arlovski should have been all over this guy!

IMO, after the belt was put around his waist the title got to AA's head way too fast and he forgot that fighting was involved in his sport. He trained like he was at the top with no one worthy to actually take the title.

Def agree. Worst UFC i've seen in some time. I can't wait for kenny florian vs sean sherk for the light weight title. Not just becuse I train with him. But I think that it will be a great fight. TUF 4 should be a good one GSP and Randy as coaches with a bunch of seasoned guys. Should be some great action. Anyway It should be a great year for the UFC and MMA in general here in the US

I'm really looking forward to the Wanderlei Silva vs Chuck Liddell fight, if it happens. They both fight before the proposed date and anything can happen. I like Liddell but after watching some clips of Silva there is no doubt that he will have his hands full. Is there any word through the grapevine or otherwise that Sylvia & Fedor will fight or is it just wishful thinking right now?

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"You see, it's not the blood you spill that gets you what you want, it's the blood you share. Your family, your friendships, your community, these are the most valuable things a man can have." Before Dishonor - Hatebreed

I'm not sure if the fight is set yet. As far as kenny turning that fight down, that is untrue. That is what has been said of Kenny for most of his career. But this will def be the most challening fight he has had. But the odds are pretty even he is a phenominal BJJ player, and everyone keeps underestimating his striking. But on the other hand sherk is a freak, so strong for that size. Not to mention the amazing wrestleing. Time will tell

Not sure if any of you guys find interest in watching highlight videos, but I figured that it wouldn't hurt to share some of my own work with you guys anyway. I've gotten a lot of good reviews so it might just be worth your spare time, haha. Anyways, enjoy.

2nd Amendmentfeatures Dan Henderson (Note:There is a special bonus video after the credits that I was originally going to have as part of the HL but ended up scrapping the idea.. However, I thought it was too funny to completely leave out so I just seperated it from the rest of the HL)Duration: 6 minutes, 25 secondsSize: 93.3MB Resolution: 856x480http://files.filefront.com/2ndAmendmentwmv/;5266366;;/fileinfo.html

Just a head's up regarding 2 well regarded MMA fighters, Steve Cotter (one of 9 Senior Russian Kettlebell Certified instructors) posted on the Dragon Door forum that Chuck Liddell has contacted him looking for training with KBs for his upcoming fight against Wanderlei Silva. In addition, Brendan "The Truth" Vera has also gotten in contact with Steve Cotter with an interest towards training with kettlebells. The Kettlebell Revolution grows.

One more fight in the LW catagory to look forward to. Local hero Joe Luzon (this kid is awsome. I saw his first fight when he was 17 and his parents had to sign his waver) VS either Jens Pulver or Eyves Edwards

BJ Penn and the Ultimate Fighting Championship have come to a contractual agreement that will enable him to fight Matt Hughes for the UFC Welterweight title on September 23rd at UFC 63. BettorMMA.com broke the story early last week and received confirmation from the UFC today.

After a groin pull forced top 170 pound contender Georges St. Pierre to withdraw from his September 23rd rematch with UFC welterweight champion Matt Hughes at the Arrowhead Pond in Anaheim, California today, the UFC was faced with a dilemma. Who could possibly challenge the champ on short notice and still be compelling enough to get fight fans excited?

The answer was a no-brainer ? the last man to beat Hughes, BJ Penn.

And as one of the top fighters in the world, pound for pound, Penn eagerly accepted the opportunity to make it 2-0 against the premier welterweight of this era, who, for his part, would like nothing better than to settle an old score with Hawaii?s ?Prodigy?.

In 2004, Penn, a highly regarded lightweight contender at the time, scored one of the biggest upsets in mixed martial arts history when he rose 15 pounds in weight to tackle and beat Hughes in his first-ever welterweight bout. The end came at 4:39 of the first round when Penn forced Hughes to tap out due to a rear-naked choke.

On September 23rd, the rivalry is renewed.

*****************************************************************

As soon as the rumors started to circulate that Georges St. Pierre was dealing with an injury sustained during training for his upcoming title fight with champion Matt Hughes, just about everyone in the sport started talking about possible replacements. None were higher on the list than the last fighter to defeat Hughes, ?The Prodigy? BJ Penn. Now with St. Pierre officially being out, the rematch that everyone was already hoping for is going to happen. At UFC 63, BJ Penn will get his shot to take back the title he never lost when he faces Matt Hughes for the welterweight championship.

For BJ Penn this is the culmination of a very long journey after leaving the UFC under a cloud of controversy and then returning recently to the company where he started his mixed martial arts career. Stepping in on just 4 weeks notice for a title fight is hard for any fighter, but Penn is just happy to get the shot and says it was his plan all along.

?I get to do what I came back to do in the UFC,? said Penn in an exclusive interview with MMAWeekly. ?I got an amazing opportunity to come back. I was going to come back to kick St. Pierre?s ass and then kick Hughes? ass and it got derailed. Now I get to correct that and kick Hughes? ass and then go and kick St. Pierre?s ass.?

The fight with St. Pierre still sticks with Penn who lost a close decision. It was only the third of his professional career and his only loss at 170 pounds. Penn takes nothing away from St. Pierre, but still feels a rematch in the future is necessary.

?He spent the night in the hospital, I spent the night at the bar,? said Penn about the fight with St. Pierre. ?I mean, he?s one of the best guys and I want to fight the top guys and he?s in line for a title shot. There?s no doubt about that. I mean, he?s a good guy and I don?t have anything bad to say about him.?

While the rematch with St. Pierre is sure to happen at some point, the only thing on BJ Penn?s mind right now is Matt Hughes and the chance to win back the UFC welterweight title. Penn was originally slated for a possible move down to 155 pounds with the re-launch of the UFC?s lightweight division, but the opportunity to fight Hughes again and prove that the first win was no fluke is something Penn is looking forward to.

?I?m just happy I?m going to be the champ again,? said a confident BJ Penn. ?I don?t even care about any of that other stuff. I mean, if people say that was a fluke or whatever, it doesn?t really mean anything to me. I was just so happy I got that phone call.?

BJ Penn will now get his shot to take back the 170-pound crown when he faces Matt Hughes in the main event of UFC 63 in Los Angeles on September 23rd.

Source: MMA Weekly

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"You see, it's not the blood you spill that gets you what you want, it's the blood you share. Your family, your friendships, your community, these are the most valuable things a man can have." Before Dishonor - Hatebreed

I only skimmed over this so I hope it hasn't already been posted, but Arlovski broke his knee in the second round of the fight, which is why he stopped throwing leg kicks. To whoever was saying they'll never know why he stopped; now you actually do.

It seems that longtime King of the Cage judge (and coach to many KOTC fighters-- obviously not in fights that he judges!) Lester "Surf Dog" Griffin is going to be a judge at the UFC on August 26th Cool

I only skimmed over this so I hope it hasn't already been posted, but Arlovski broke his knee in the second round of the fight, which is why he stopped throwing leg kicks. To whoever was saying they'll never know why he stopped; now you actually do.

I think he needs better people in his corner too.

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"You see, it's not the blood you spill that gets you what you want, it's the blood you share. Your family, your friendships, your community, these are the most valuable things a man can have." Before Dishonor - Hatebreed

Lawler is landing some hard knees to the head of Mayhem and it looks like Mayhem might loose this fight.

Jason "Mayhem" Miller wins with an arm bar!

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"You see, it's not the blood you spill that gets you what you want, it's the blood you share. Your family, your friendships, your community, these are the most valuable things a man can have." Before Dishonor - Hatebreed

Yes a Triangle Choke, but it was initially reported as a armbar at www.mmahawaii.com moments after the win.

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"You see, it's not the blood you spill that gets you what you want, it's the blood you share. Your family, your friendships, your community, these are the most valuable things a man can have." Before Dishonor - Hatebreed

As Fedor gets more popular do you think it will increase the interest in Sambo?

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"You see, it's not the blood you spill that gets you what you want, it's the blood you share. Your family, your friendships, your community, these are the most valuable things a man can have." Before Dishonor - Hatebreed

MMAWeekly has learned that Kevin Randleman has been charged by the Nevada State Athletic Commission with providing a fake urine sample for the drug test that he took after his fight on the Pride card in Las Vegas on October 21st.

If he is found to be guilty of these charges, Randleman could face severe disciplinary measures from the athletic commission, which could include a significant fine, a lengthy suspension, or perhaps even permanent revocation of his fighters' license.

All NSAC-sanctioned organizations, including Pride, are required to honor NSAC suspensions for all of their shows throughout the world if they want to continue to be licensed to run events in Nevada.

In the recent history of unarmed combat drug testing in Nevada, one fighter was previously alleged to have provided a fake urine sample, and that fighter's license was flat-out revoked (as opposed to suspended). That fighter was Sean McCully, who tested positive for marijuana and the anabolic steroid nandrolone in September 2004, and then allegedly provided a fake urine sample when he was re-tested in September 2005.

Keith Kizer, the Executive Director of the Nevada State Athletic Commission, tells MMAWeekly, "I just spoke with Dr. Hyatt, who said [Randleman's urine] specimen 'flat-lined' for hormones. This allegedly means that the urine was fake, similar to Sean McCully?s case from several months ago."

If it does indeed turn out that the urine sample provided by Randleman did not contain any human hormones, that would mean that it was urine from a dead human or urine from a non-human.

Randleman, who lost to Mauricio "Shogun" Rua by submission on the Pride card in question, will have 20 days to respond to the NSAC's complaint, and then at some point there will be a disciplinary hearing at which Randleman's status will be determined.

Providing fake urine or otherwise trying to defraud the drug testing system is regarded as being just as much of a violation as actually failing a drug test, if not more of a violation.

Randleman now becomes the fourth MMA fighter to fail to pass a drug test in a period of less than two months in the state of Nevada. Stephan Bonnar tested positive for Boldenone, an anabolic steroid used to rehabilitate injured horses, after his fight at UFC 62. At Bonnar's disciplinary hearing last Friday, he admitted that he knowingly took a banned substance, and he was suspended for nine months.

Competing on the same Pride card as Randleman on October 21st, Vitor Belfort and Pawel Nastula also failed their respective drug tests. Belfort tested positive for the anabolic steroid 4-hydroxytestosterone, while Nastula tested positive for the anabolic steroid nandrolone and the banned stimulants phenylpropanolamine, pseudoephedrine, and ephedrine (ironically, the same exact combination of banned substances for which Kimo Leopoldo tested positive after a UFC fight in 2004). The cases of Belfort and Nastula are still pending before the NSAC.

Randleman, Belfort, and Nastula were three of the ten fighters who were drug tested on Pride's October 21st card. Four other fighters on the card were not drug tested. In Bonnar's case, he was one of just four fighters who were drug tested at UFC 62, as there were fourteen fighters on the card who were not drug tested.

According to the Nevada State Athletic Commission, the total cost of drug testing one fighter for all banned steroids, stimulants, and recreational drugs is $278.40. With ticket sales for these events in the millions and with more and more fighters failing to pass their drug tests, a growing number of MMA fans have begun to question the fact that there isn't mandatory drug testing for every single fighter on every single card.

Los Angeles, CA may be the entertainment capitol of the world but the event that is on everyone's lips is the historic match-up between MMA fighting legend Randy Couture and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) superstar Ronaldo "Jacare" Souza at the Professional Submission League's (PSL) 'X-Mission' on Friday, November 17, 2006. This classic battle, unprecedented in modern times, has brought Randy out of retirement and Jacare into the spotlight as two of the world's finest Mixed Martial Artists collide on the PSL tatame.

?Jacare', the alligator from Manaus, Amazon, Brazil has been causing quite a stir since he arrived in the States. The BJJ Absolute Mundial & ADCC World Submission Champion has been spotted at the Pride Fighting Championships, in Las Vegas and training in dojos all around the Los Angeles area with none other than Mr. Wallid Ismail, the Amazon's first MMA hero.

The PSL crew caught up with the dynamic duo from the great Amazon State as they headed out to the set of Spike TV's Pros vs. Joes in Los Angeles, CA to meet the only man to win UFC titles in two different weight categories, Randy Couture. At this exclusive on-set meeting the two 'X Mission' main eventers sealed the deal for their highly anticipated match up.

Since retiring from the UFC "The Natural" has been busy as ever with several business projects, a slew of personal appearances, and of course television & film roles. His latest role is in Pros vs. Joes, Spike TV's action-packed sports series that pits a team of average everyday Joes vs. a team of the world's greatest Pros. UFC Hall of Famer Couture was on the set filming the season premiere along with his fellow Pros Michael Irvin (five time NFL Pro Bowler & three time Super Bowl Champion), Glen Rice (three time NBA All Star) and Jose Canseco (six time MLB All Star).

The set came to life as Jacare arrived with his consignor, Mr. Ismail, to meet "The Natural" and face off before the big day. Much respect was exchanged between the two combatants along with the usual pre-match posturing as 'Jacare' informed us that "Randy is a big man and has accomplished many great things but now is my time and he will feel the bite of the alligator."

Jacare seemed to revel in his first visit to a Hollywood set as Randy, the consummate professional, was unfazed by it all and he revealed to us that "I may have retired from fighting but I have not retired from competition. There are many new challenges ahead for me and this is one of them."

Indeed, both men will need to be at their best during the PSL's X-Mission event on Friday, November 17, 2006 at the Culver City Veterans' Memorial.

PSL brings the sport and its athletes into the spotlight where they can be appreciated in a tasteful and upscale environment. ?X-MISSION? is PSL?s latest event showcasing an international line-up of ?who?s who? and world champion athletes from around the world including Brazil, Japan, Canada, Russia and the United States. To schedule interviews, obtain press credentials and receive more information, call Mario Serrano at (408) 607-5756.

Couture?s ?Fighter, a documentary? moves on to the New York Independent Film and Video Festival

After taking ?Best Documentary? at the Foundation for the Advancement of Independent Film International Film Festival in Hollywood, CA. ?FIGHTER, a documentary? has been officially selected to New York International Independent Film and Video Festival (NYIIFVF). The NYIIFVF is the largest film festival in the world and has been recognized by the film and entertainment industry as one of the leading film events on the independent festival circuit. The festival hosts film, music and art events in the two entertainment capitals of the United States: New York and Los Angeles. The NYIIFVF is known as 'the voice for independent film' and receives extensive media coverage. As indie guru Abel Ferrara famously quoted in an interview with Movie Maker, "This festival is the real deal; everybody else just talks about doing it and these guys just do it."?FIGHTER, a documentary? has been quietly changing people?s perceptions about mixed martial arts fighting, its athletes and their motivation. Set in the late ?90 the film captures a slice of sports history as UFC Hall of Famer, Randy "The Natural" Couture transitions from US National team wrestler to MMA fighting legend. Shot by award winning filmmaker Pericles Lewnes, ?FIGHTER a documentary? provides a riveting myriad of perspectives from analysis by World Cup gold medalist turned MMA guru Rico Chiapparelli to a young mothers first experience inside the octagon , the film deftly captures the skill, dedication, rivalry, camaraderie, and tremendous mutual respect among these ?ultimate athletes?.?Fighter, a documentary? is scheduled to screen Monday, November 13, 2006 at the Village East Cinema at 181 2nd Ave (& 12th St.) in NYC at 8pm. For free movie clips and more info on fighter please go to www.mmaclassics.com

UFC doctors have verified the rib injury that Penn believed he sustained during the second round of his fight with Matt Hughes, according to BJPenn.com. The injury has been found to be a fracture of Penn?s costochondral junction.

According to the findings of physician Sameer Nagda, MD, ?There is evidence of a fracture of the right tenth costochondral junction with evidence of surrounding soft tissue edema and fluid consistent with moderate grade muscle strains of the intercostals and oblique musculature in the region of fracture.?

According to MedHelp.org, the costochondral junction is, ?The point where the ribs articulate with the sternum.? What this essentially means is that during his fight with Hughes, Penn sustained a fracture of the connective tissue between his ribs and the sternum. This injury is considered to be a rib fracture.

Penn?s web site says, ?While in Las Vegas for UFC 64, BJ met with the UFC?s orthopedic surgeon and sports medicine doctor in Las Vegas for a physical exam and diagnostic MRI study of his ribs and oblique muscles on his right side. The report verified and substantiated exactly what happened to BJ at the end of the second round when he thrusted up and around to gain Matt?s back. During this upward and twisting movement, BJ pulled/tore internal muscles located inside and around the bottom right rib and fractured the rib. As explained, this type of trauma can and will cause a constriction of his right lung, leading to a substantially diminished breathing capacity.?

This new report verifies what has thus far been a disputed claim of injury by BJ Penn in the weeks following his UFC 64 loss to Matt Hughes.

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"You see, it's not the blood you spill that gets you what you want, it's the blood you share. Your family, your friendships, your community, these are the most valuable things a man can have." Before Dishonor - Hatebreed

cool. here's something that's been on my mind. it always seems that there is a bunch of contraversy regarding decisions in MMA. partly because people are fans, but also because sometimes the judging criteria seems vague. it's great that martial artists like surf dog are judges (cecil peoples makes me shudder), and I remember that Guro Crafty was a UFC judge a few years back. Although it might not be appropriate for Surf Dog to post his judging criteria, I was wondering how you or how you think judges should score fights. Should they weigh striking and grappling equally? How do you you consider grappling defense and escapes? Are counter fighters damned due to a lack of "octagon control"?anyone?

MSNBC's "Warrior Nation," takes viewers inside the world of MMA, mixedmartial arts, beginning January 9th at 10 p.m. ET. MMA, one of thefastest-growing sports in the nation, combines various fighting stylesincluding wrestling, boxing, Tai Kwon Do, Karate and submissiongrappling. It's a "no-holds-barred" combat sport that has become asuccessful enterprise throughout the world and has been called "thenext NASCAR." Each episode opens the door to the lives of fighters andthe struggles that they endure in this popular sport. Veteran fighters,such as Chuck Liddell and Tito Ortiz, fans favorites, including UrijahFaber, as well as up-and-coming fighters, are portrayed. The four-partseries airs each week on consecutive Tuesdays, beginning January 9th at10 p.m. ET. "Warrior Nation" is the first of two documentary seriesproduced by 29 Stories LLC for MSNBC.

"'Warrior Nation' is not just about fighting," says Long-FormProgramming Vice President Michael Rubin, "it's about a quickly growingAmerican phenomenon; the millions of fans and tens of thousands ofyoung athletes who gravitate to this new sport, hoping to springboardfrom obscurity to celebrity, using the most basic of tools--theirbodies and fists."

Episode One, which airs January 9th at 10 and 11 p.m. ET, followsUrijah Faber and Enoch Wilson. 27-year-old Faber is the number one MMAfighter in his weight class in the nation and one of the best in theworld. A college graduate, he fights and trains full-time, has 14career wins and over $100,000 in prize money. Wilson, a 26-year-oldhigh school drop-out and single dad with 8 career wins, works at aplastics factory to support his training and his 14-month-old daughter.

The Following Tuesday evening, January 16th, in episode two we meetErin Toughill. At 29-years-old, she is one of the top women fighters inthe world. Toughill's husband, Clark Bevans, a 32-year-old gym owner,also participates in MMA fighting. Together, they hope to become thefirst couple in the world to fight on the same night - and win.

Episode Three, airing January 23rd, unites two rivals for their secondhead-to-head fight. Gina Carrano and Elaina Maxwell meet at Strikeforcein San Jose, California. Carrano, the underdog, plans on repeating herprevious win over Maxwell, but Maxwell, who has been training underCung Le, the World Kickboxing Champion, expects to even the score.Nonetheless, both women won't take this fight lying down.

Airing January 30th, episode four dives deep into the organization ofthe Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). The episode features twoup-and-coming fighters, Steve Byrnes and Logan Clark, who have recentlyearned their first shot at fighting, as well as two celebrity veteransof the UFC, Chuck Liddell and Tito Ortiz. UFC President Dana White alsoexplains his struggles and plans to Make MMA legal in all 50 states.

Im thinking Chuck will win but Tito appears to be rejuvanated and Im sure Chuck has kept this in mind. This should be an excellent fight.

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"You see, it's not the blood you spill that gets you what you want, it's the blood you share. Your family, your friendships, your community, these are the most valuable things a man can have." Before Dishonor - Hatebreed

After the last season of Ulitmate Fighter I have come to like TO. Psychologically and emotionally he seems to be in a good place for this fight, and this is always very important. That said, I don't see where he has a stronger link in his chain than CL. Liddell has a very large bubble-- he hits hard and long range while moving. This forces the iniitiation of a closing from further away. He is very hard to take down and he is very hard to keep down-- he has an excellent skill set for returning to his feet.

By Andrew LevineSpecial to The Washington PostSaturday, December 30, 2006; E02

In 2006, the Ultimate Fighting Championship entered the realm of mainstream sports. Gate revenue for its nine events brought in between $1.9 million and $3.3 million per card, its reality television show, "The Ultimate Fighter," is Spike TV's highest-rated program, and a UFC event on Spike in October drew higher ratings among males 18 to 34 than Game 1 of baseball's American League Championship Series.

"We've caught lightning in a bottle with this thing," UFC President Dana White said.

Not surprisingly, others have joined in on the country's mixed martial arts, or MMA, boom that UFC has spurred. Japan's Pride Fighting Championships recently hosted its first event in the United States, the newly formed Elite Xtreme Combatwill host its first card on Showtime in February and various other organizations have locked up their own television and pay-per-view contracts.

"As the years go on, I see MMA overtaking boxing," said Gary Shaw, a longtime boxing promoter and president of EliteXC. "The demographic from [ages] 18-36 is huge and boxing does not appeal to those demos. [Boxing] is having trouble putting fans in the seats, but MMA can really turn fans out. It's a phenomenon."

But MMA's newfound popularity could create new problems. Mixed martial arts currently operates in a system where the company that promotes and hosts the cards also has the fighters participating under contract. And although big-money super-fights occur rarely because of disagreements between promoters, boxing still has the freedom to put the two best fighters from the same weight class together for the sort of bout that satiates fans and benefits the promoters and the boxers.

"If these new promoters come in and do not have success, that's a bad thing," said Josh Gross, editor of Sherdog.com, the country's largest Web site devoted to mixed martial arts. "Eventually they're all going to have to come together. Otherwise, there's going to be too much money left on the table.

"The best fighters have to fight each other. In the end that's what it's about. If the best fighters don't fight each other, you really will have meaningless fights and boring, repetitive matchups. It'll take away from the credibility of the sport."

The UFC has put together this kind of fight to end its landmark year. Tonight's UFC 66 card at Las Vegas's MGM Grand Garden Arena matches two of the sport's biggest names -- light heavyweight champion Chuck Liddell and Tito Ortiz.

Of the UFC's competitors, only Pride has a comparable talent pool, and although wildly popular overseas, it has put on just one show in the United States and its financial stability has come into question after its TV contract in Japan fell apart earlier this year. EliteXC was publicly launched just over two weeks ago, on Dec. 14.

Shaw, who promoted the boxing match between Mike Tyson and Lennox Lewis in 2002, said EliteXC will have an open-door policy with respect to bringing in outside fighters while each of the company's own fighters has a clause in his contract to compete under other organizations.

Ultimately though, the UFC will have the final say, given its stature as the country's preeminent MMA organization. To that end, the UFC appears headed in a direction that would attempt to bring almost all the top talent under its roof.

The UFC recently purchased the contracts of the now defunct World Fighting Alliance (giving the UFC the rights to Quinton Jackson, the last man to defeat Liddell), which sought to compete with the UFC but only put on one show, and bought the established World Extreme Cagefighting, which will operate as a separate entity from the UFC.

UFC also has its ever-expanding programming deal with Spike, which runs midway through 2008. Spike can no longer buy advertising time on ESPN for its UFC programming because ESPN "views us as competition," said Brian Diamond, Spike's senior vice president of sports and specials.

"Nobody knows this business better than we do," White said. "When we bought this thing [in 2001] it was the most unattractive thing. So unattractive that people didn't view it as a sport. Now you have all these [companies] that are jumping in, but we're the guys who know."

For the burgeoning organizations, long-term success may hinge heavily on creativity. The International Fight League, which launched earlier this year and airs on Fox Sports Net, opted for a team format instead of the traditional boxing model with the hopes of zeroing in on a different part of the MMA market.

"If [new companies] are not different enough and they don't offer something special they're going to be in for a rude awakening," said Kurt Otto, CEO of IFL.

It's a way of "competing, but not competing directly" with the UFC, Otto said.

White agrees.

"I don't look at a lot of these guys as competition," White said. "It's always going to happen. You've got all these other companies out there and when they're all gone in the next year and a half, there are going to be two more new ones."

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"This is a war, and we are soldiers. Death can come for us at any time, in any place." ~ Morpheus